Yoga Mat Types

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Ashley Ludman from Seaside Yoga here to talk a little bit about the different types of yoga mats you can choose for your yoga practice. So, depending on the style of yoga that you engage in, you may want to have a different style of yoga mat. The first mat we have is a standard mat. This is really great for any style of yoga, especially if you're a beginner and you're not sure if yoga is the thing for you just yet. You may want to invest in the standard tapas or sticky mat. They are going to be a little bit less on the pocket book. You can find these in any retail store, any sporting goods store. Just look for a standard yoga mat. They are not as thick as some of the other styles of mat so if you have difficulty getting onto your knees or you have joint discomfort in yoga, you may want to go with a mat that's a little bit thicker. This is a jade yoga mat and this is extra thick. They also come in different lengths so you might find a standard length of 68 inches and that's pretty good for the population under 6 feet tall. If you are teetering right before 6 feet and beyond, you might want to go with an extra long mat which is 74 inches in length. This type of mat, this is a jade mat, it has more traction to it. It's a rubber mat, it's eco-friendly, all natural resources and this is another one of my favorite types of mats for my particular practice where I'm holding postures a little bit. It might not be the best for a Vinyasa practice where you're moving from one pose to the next. For that type of practice you may want to go with a mat that's called a Manduka mat. This mat that I'm sitting on, this black mat, has the extra density and extra thickness and it also has some traction but you have the ability to move without getting too stuck to your mat. This extra cushioned, extra thick mat to my right is actually called a Thai yoga mat. Practitioner's who are offering body work sessions, different types of Thai yoga massage. Or, even practitioner's who want to take it easy, maybe restorative yoga or gentle yoga like the extra cushion for their joints and this is a nice type of mat to try also. So, that's it for the different types of yoga mats and hope you find one that helps you out with your practice."